'Will Umno recognise the new governments of Tunisia and Egypt because they too are the result of illegal assemblies?'

HRP rally to proceed tomorrow despite no permit

Anak Bangsa Malaysia: Inspector-general of police Ismail Omar needs to answer this simple question: Why is it that Perkasa, Umno Youth or any BN component party never has any trouble getting police permits (if they even bother to at all) to organise protests - including those verging on riots like the so-called 'cow's head' mob in Shah Alam - and never have any trouble with the police, while Pakatan Rakyat and independent civil society protestors are consistently harassed, arrested and even assaulted with tear gas, chemical-laced water and batons?

Even people standing around in candlelight vigils are roughed up by the police. The police are blatantly biased, and they openly flaunt their bias because they are not accountable to anyone. The consistently thuggish conduct of the police means they are the biggest threat to this country, not civil protestors.

The police should keep in mind the examples set in North Africa and the Middle East. Crimes against the people will not be forgotten.

Paul Warren: So who sets the better example? The Egyptian army or would it be Muammar Gaddafi? Whose standards do our cops want to follow? Egypt's army or Gaddafi's army? Whose side is Umno going to take? We shall know soon.

Will Umno's Malaysia recognise the new governments of Tunisia and Egypt because they too are a result of illegal assemblies that did not have police permits?

Artchan: Prime Minister Najib Razak has asked Libyan Gaddafi not to use force against protesters. So Najib must now walk the talk - no force should be used. Let Hindraf march.

Pemerhati: S Jayathas said, "Malaysia is the most racist country in the world. Apartheid has already ended in South Africa but we still have it in Malaysia. We're not asking for special rights but we just want equal opportunity."

If you can find another country where only the majority race gets 7 percent discount on houses, where nearly all government land schemes like Felda are almost exclusively for the majority race, where tertiary and training institutions select students of the majority race even when their academic results are poor and reject the applications of the much better students of the minority groups, where recruitment to the public service is based mainly on race and not merit, where the majority race can make huge tax deductions for zakat contributions (money used for their own community) but the minority groups are not given such a privilege, then we might say that what Jayathas says is not true.

Scheiss: There is no curbing the damaged spirit of a people that has been degraded time and again.

By-elections: Pakatan on the defensive

Righteous: It's interesting to note that with experts like Bridget Welsh already in the region, BN has to hire experts from the US that have strong links to a country that is anti-Islam and at a cost of hundreds of millions of ringgit of taxpayers' money.

I also think that the prevailing message here is that as long as the opposition continues on the road they are on, they will eventually get their message to everyone and win the most important election yet to be held - the next GE.

Ghkok: I find the statement "Pakatan on the defensive" very amusing. In a country where the opposition has been tormented, tortured, restricted, bullied, abused, intimidated, oppressed, repressed, harassed, infiltrated, humiliated and manipulated for the past 53 years, what do you expect the opposition to be, if not "defensive"?

If you have overwhelming oppression, how in the world are you going to have effective opposition? The objective of our country must be liberation, not opposition. Liberation must come first, then only opposition.

Just like in Egypt where the people have finally figured out that you must get rid of Hosni Mubarak first, then only cobble together an opposition coalition. Yes, all the fancy analysts will tell you that you must not have a power vacuum. But how on earth are you going to build a coalition when Mubarak keeps on arresting and persecuting key people? That's just common sense.

In Malaysia, we're a bit more fortunate. We already have an opposition coalition set up and ready. Not perfect, nor ideal, but good enough for now. Stop giving 10,000 excuses. The destiny of the country rests with the voters. Let's see whether we all have the guts. If in doubt, talk to the Libyans.

Ksn: If Pakatan Rakyat plays it smartly, intelligently, sincerely for the welfare of all the people of Malaysia, it still has a fair chance of winning the next GE. Leave aside the ego, personality issues, pettiness for short-term personal gains, bring all the groups opposed to Umno-BN together. That might carry the day and save the country.

Observer: 'Amateur' EC chief not fit for role

FairMind: Would anyone be surprised that the Election Commission chief is not an expert and an incompetent? He is just dumped there by Umno to do its bidding and condone whatever corrupt practices done by BN.

Fido Dido: The EC chief is clearly showing that the EC is serving Umno's interests. He is incompetently and blatantly closing his eyes on vote buying. He should be charged for failing in his duty.

Rhi: What's the difference between the present EC chief and the former one? Both of them were 'selected' to look after the 'interest' of the ruling party BN. Imagine if the election inducements were perpetrated by the opposition parties - how would the EC react?

This is the law in Bolehland: "You help me, I help you".

Fairplayer: Why can't we use credible and trustworthy retired judges and ministers, like the ex-Lord President Salleh Abas, ex-judge NH Chan, ex-DPM Musa Hitam, to name a few, to be in the EC panel? These are trusted and ‘fairplay' characters.

Gen2: In Islam, if you don't do the job assigned to you with dedication and full commitment, all the pay and salaries you receive are haram .

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